Electroplating apparatus



Aug. 12, 1924.

J. L. MUJICA ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1922 3 Sheets-SheetI' Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,700

. J. MUJICA ELECTHOPLAT ING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet2 5 vemtoz QjLa Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,700

J. L. MUJICA ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Gite -2131 y Patented Aug. 12,1924.

UNITED STATES 1,504,700 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSE LUIS MUJICA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. GALVANIZIhTG& PLATING EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ELEOTROPLATING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 17, 1922. Serial No. 582,337.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osii LUIS MUJICA, acitizen of Chile, residing at 32 Stockton Street, Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Electroplating Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for liquid treatment of articles andparticularly to apparatus in which articles to be treated are suspendedon traveling carriers and conveyed through the liquid bath, forinstance,a cleaning or coating liquid or electrolyte.

The objectof the invention is to provide improved apparatus forconveying the articles through the bath, and when the articles are to beelectroplated, supplying current thereto and maintaining a constantuniform elficiency of the bath.

1 Further objects of the invention particularlyv inv improved mechanismfor support,

ing and driving the conveying means will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating 1tin-connection with a so called one man tank.

W a Fig. 2 is an elevational side view of the same.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional elevational views taken on lines 33, 4.-4and 5-5 respectively of Figs. 1 and2. 7

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the carrier hook.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 1, and

Fi 9 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 2'

but i lustrating a modification.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7the liquid bath is contained in a tank 10. The articles to be treatedare suspended in the liquid and moved therethrough by endless conveyingmeans comprising a track 11 on which slide carriers 12 (see Figs. 6 and7) provided with depending hook portions 13 on which are hung thearticles or the baskets containing the articles. In the specificapparatus shown the articles are to be electroplated and the track 11 isa cathode conductor and the anodes 14 (see Fig. 9) are sus ended-fromanode tubes or bars-15 exten ing along each side of the path of thearticles. Stirrers 16 are provided fofthe electrolyte to keep itconstantly in motion in such manner as to avoid any excessive agitationof the electrolyte and at the same time to ensure a rapid and evendeposit of the plating metal on the articles. Each stirrer 16 (see Figs.3, 4;, 5) is a horizontal bar pivoted to parallel bell cranks 17 1:7oscillated by a reciprocating rod 18 linked to a crank drive 19 on shaft20. Preferably there are a plurality of these stirrers arranged alongthe sides of the tank 10 in pairs, and with the members of each pairmoving in opposite directions. Thus when A one stirrer is rising theother member of the pair is moving downward and vice versa.

The drive for the articles slides the car riers 12 along the track 11and comprises an endless chain 25 running on sprockets 21, 26 at eachend of the machine and preferably guided at its straight portions in thechannels 27 (Fig. 3). Certain links of the chain carry projecting pins28 engaging in recesses 29 in the carriers 12 so as to draw the carriersalong the track 11. As will be noted from Figs. 6 and 7 there isopportunity for relative movement between the carrier and chain due toshifting of the pin 28 in recess 29. This avoids all danger of jammingthe carrier or chain and permits the carrier to easily ride over anyinequalities of .the track.- The carrier may act as a sup ort for thechain or the latter may be in ependently sustained by the sprockets anduides as shown. Preferably the chain .90 will he insulated from thecarriers by the' cup sl30 between the pins and carriers.

e driving and conveying apparatus is supported from the tank sides bycross members 31, 32, 33 and 34. The cross member 31 (see Fig. 5)carries at its center the vertical belt or spindle35 to the lower end ofwhich is fastened the semi-circular end 36 of the track 11. 'Above thetrack and concentric therewith is mountedthe drive sprocket 21 connectedto turn with the wormwheel 22 driven by the worm 23 of shaft 20 drivenin turn from pulley 24 through the reduction changespeed gearing 4C0permitting the speed of the drive to e changed with rela- 5 tlonto thepulley s eed. The cross members-32, 33 (Fig. 39am supports for the,trackll and anode bars 15. Thecross member 34 (Fig. 8) carries the idlersprocket 26 on a stud 41 mounted on an adjustable bracket 42 so that thesprocket may be moved longitudinally to control the tautness of thechain and take up wear. Concentric with the sprocket 26 on stud shaft 41is the semicircular segment 43 of the track 11 an adjustable sliding fit14: being provided between the track and segment.

In Fig. 9 a modified form of tank is shown in which the driving andconveying mechanism instead of being supported from the tank 10. issuspended from a superstructure S which in turn may be hung fromoverhead support. The cross members 31, 32',33', 34:, which support thetrack 11 sprockets 21, 26 and anode bars 15, are fastened to thelongitudinal beam members 45 connected into a frame by the cross pieces46, the whole being supported from above.

In using the apparatus of this invention the operator standing at someconvenient -part of the tank hooks the articles onto carriers 12 as theypass to his right and re moves the treated articles as they return athis left. The current enters by the bus rod 50 connected to the anodebars and passes from the anodes through the solution to the articles andthence to the track and cathode bus rod 51 (Fig. 4:).

The conveying means carries the articles smoothly around the tank asmany times as desired before removal and where the articles are to beelectroplated they are con tinuously supplied with current due to theeven, constant contact between the carrier and track attained by theflexible connection to the conveyor chain. Fresh electrolyte is alsocontinuously supplied to the articles in smooth and even manner by thestirring means, which maintains a balanced density of the bath, and whenused in conjunction with the electric current will tend to remove jarfrom the articles being plated. The result is a thorough, eificientplating action at all times and a. perfect deposit of the metal on thearticles.

I claim 1. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles,-thecombination with a tank, of endless means for supporting and moving thearticles around the tank, and means for supporting said conveying meansfrom the tank comprising a series of cross members and an adjustableconnection permitting the length of said article supporting andconveying means to be varied.

2. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with atank for an electrolyte, of means for supporting and conveying thearticles around the tank, means for supporting said conveying meanscomprising a series of cross members and means for suspending saidcross-members from a support above said tank.

3. In apparatus "for liquid treatment of articles the combination with atank, of

stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers and means formoving said stirrers up and down parallel with each other.

4. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles the combination with atank, of stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers andmeans for moving said stirrers up and down in alternation with eachother.

5. In' apparatus for liquid treatment of articles the combination with atank, of stirring means comprising pairs of horizontal stirrers andmeans for moving said stirrers up and down in alternation with eachother and maintaining said stirrers substantially parallel to eachother.

6. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles adapted to move thearticles through the treating liquid, a hook adapted to slide along asupporting trackway and having means for suspending the articles andmeans unconnected with said hook and adapted to engage the same and tomove it along said trackway.

7. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles adapted to move thearticles through the treating liquid, a hook adapted to slide along asupporting trackway and having means for suspending the articles, thecenter of gravity through the point of suspension passing verticallythrough said trackway and means unconnected with said hook and adaptedto engage the same and to move it along said trackway.

8. In electroplating apparatus the combination with anodes verticallyadjustable and horizontally adjustable at variable distances from thecathode.

9. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination with atank for the electrolyte, of conveying means for supporting and movingthe articles around the tank, and worm gearing for driving saidconveying means comprising change speed gearing foryarying the rate oftravel of said conveying means.

10. In electroplating apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, thecombination with a tank, of an endless conveyor for supporting andmoving the articles therethrough, and means for adjusting the length ofsaid conveyor.

11. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination withva tank, of an endless track for supporting the articles in theelectrolyte, means for moving said articles, and means for adjusting thelength of said track.

12. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination witha tank, of an endless conveying means comprising a track, supports forthe articles adapted to slide along said track, means for moving saidsupports along said track, and means for simultaneously adjusting saidtrack and moving means.

:13. In apparatus for liquidtreatment of articles, the combination withan endless track, of supports for the articles adapted to slide alongsaid track, and an endless conveyor separate from said supports andadapted to engage said supports to move them along said track.

14. In apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, the combination witha track, of a support for the articles to be plated comprising a slideportion and a depending hook portion, said slide portion being providedwith a socket for engagement by a movable member to slide said supportalong said track.

15. In electroplating apparatus for liquid treatment of articles, thecombination with a track, of means for conveying the articles to beplated along said track oomprising a support member having a slideportion fitted to said track and adapted to be engaged by a movableconveyor member to slide said vsupport along said track.

16. In electroplating apparatus the combination with a track, of meansfor conveying the articles to be plated along said track comprising asupport member having a slide portion adapted to be engaged by a movableconveyor member to slide said support along said track, said supportbeing a separate detachable member adapted to be removed from saidtrack.

17. In electroplating apparatus the com bination with a track, of meansfor conveying the articles to be plated along said track comprising asupport member having a slide portion adapted to be engaged by a movableconveyor member to slide said support along said track, said supportbeing a'separate detachable member adapted to be removed from said trackand conveying means.

JOSE LUIS MUJICA.

